TEMECULA -- "To be or not to be, that is the question."

Ethan Tapley knows that of the 1,300 lines he will recite as Hamlet in the Shakespearean play of the same name at Great Oak High School, those are the ones he'll be judged on.

"The interesting thing about 'to be,' is it's a misunderstood dialogue," Ethan said. "If you read the play, he's contemplating death, committing suicide. … All emotions come out. It's very philosophical, intellectual and deep."

"Hamlet" opened last week at Great Oak and will continue at 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Hamlet is the first starring role for Ethan, a 17-year-old junior, but it's not the first time the acting bug has bit him.

He said he's always had an interest in the stage and participated in plays in middle school and at church camp. He's also made movies with the school's film club.

"I always really was interested in acting," he said.

Previously, Ethan shared a role in the school's production of "Once Upon a Mattress."

"This is a really big step," he admitted.

Ethan said he spent a lot of time learning his lines for what has got to be one of the most difficult roles for any actor.

"I'd go home and read a line. And read it over and over and over," he said. "Then I'd write it down and repeat that for each section."

Ethan said it's been difficult to find the range of emotion he needs in each scene.

"You really have to find something to make you feel how the character feels," he said. "You have to reach to the abyss of your soul and pull it out, tap into those emotions you don't normally feel."

As difficult as it has been, Ethan said getting out and being able to become Hamlet has also been the most enjoyable part of the role, as well as working with the cast.

Ethan isn't the only one with limited stage experience in the cast. Andrew Whisnand, who play Polonius, has never been on stage.

"It's my senior year and I thought I'd try something new and exciting," he said.

It won't be a totally new experience for the 18-year-old, however, as he had participated in Mock Trail, where students take on the roles of attorneys, witness and others trying a case.

"In mock trail I get to be myself. Here I'm someone else," Andrew said. "In this case, someone 50 years older than I am."

He said the Mock Trial experience has made him comfortable talking in front of a crowd, so there will be no stage fright

"I can't be all nervous. Now's the time to actually have fun," he said.

As for the experience?

"It's been better than what I thought it would," Andrew said. "But it's a lot of work."

Great Oak theater director Justin Girard said the time was right for his troupe to tackle Shakespeare.

"This is our first year of seniors," he said. "The first show we did was 'Midsummer's Night Dream.' The group of kids that participated in that production have shown me so much growth over that time.

"I'm a real believer in challenging kids, taking them out of their realm of experience."

Girard started the program when the school opened three years ago with only freshmen and sophomores. He has constantly spoken of the growth he's seen in his actors, who have taken on more difficult assignments as they've aged.

"It's going to be hard to say goodbye to the seniors," he said.

Tickets cost $7 for students, seniors and children and $10 for adults.

Great Oak High is at 32555 Deer Hollow Road. For information, call 294-6450, Ext. 3901.

Contact staff writer Craig Shultz at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2631 or cshultz@californian.com, Comment at californian.com.